Castle and Cape
by Michael Weyer
Summary: Framed, disgraced and believed dead, Kate Beckett takes on a new identity to fight for justice. Psuedo-crossover with "The Cape."
1. The Fall of Kate Beckett

**Castle and Cape**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Castle owned by ABC.**

**The Cape owned by NBC/Universal**

**The idea for this has been bouncing in my head for awhile ever since the all-too-short-lived **_**The Cape**_** aired on NBC. The recent episode of Beckett as a comic fan has pushed it more. I know, so many more fics to finish but wanted to get this out to see if enough popularity to continue. All comments welcomed. **

**Chapter 1: The Fall of Kate Beckett**

* * *

><p><em>It's said that before a person dies, their life flashes before their eyes. For Kate Beckett, it was taking place in her mind during that area between sleep and awake, that time when one is unsure of where one is or what their mind is like. It was in this state that Kate Beckett sat, her mind whirling about, unsure of her surroundings now and only able to process the events that led us to this current predicament…<em>

* * *

><p>"No, Castle, for the tenth time." Kate sighed as she worked at the computer at her desk. She was clad in a nice blouse with her usual dark pants and jacket draped over her chair. Her short brown hair was nicely combed, the picture of professionalism. Which was a direct contrast to Richard Castle, who was hanging by her desk in one of his usual light suits.<p>

"Come on," he said in that borderline whine he believed was endearing. "You got a dead body with evidence pointing to a long-rumored crime boss by the name of Chess, you don't think this is worth my time?"

"I often wonder what is worth your time, Castle," Kate responded. "I told you, the feds stepped in, the guy was part of their investigation. We've got enough on our plate to worry about some mystery man who may not even exist."

"You've been hearing about Chess for months now," Castle said. "How can you ignore that?"

She fixed him with a glare. "Some genius criminal mastermind who goes around in a mask, the few who have seen him never talk about it and is secretly pulling the strings in New York?" She shook her head as she returned to her paperwork. "No one can do that."

"Never heard of Kyser Soze?"

She gave him her standard "come back to reality" look. "Don't you have a big party or something to go to?"

"Actually, I do. A shindig for the illustrious Peter Fleming."

Beckett raised an eyebrow. "The new wheeler-dealer in New York? The guy whose ARK Corporation supplies the security to half the city banks and jewelry stores?"

"Wow, I should only hope to provide such nice exposition in my next book," Castle said.

"I do read the papers," Beckett said. "I know he's got that crazy idea to try and privatize the police force but come on, public will never go for it."

"I've learned long ago to never underestimate the foolishness of the public."

"Which explains your entire career," Kate couldn't resist cracking.

Before Castle could retort, they were interrupted by an argument between Javier Esposito and Kevin Ryan. "Why do you even bother with that shit, bro?" Esposito asked.

"You don't care?" Ryan pressed. "If he names us…"

"Who name what?" Castle asked.

Ryan sighed. "That Orewell freak. The guy running the blog on police corruption? He just posted a dozen cops he claims are on the take!"

Kate groaned. "Really can't believe you two are paying attention to some guy on the net."

"We're not the only ones," Ryan insisted. "You know IA will be looking at every one of those guys now. I know a couple of them, no way they're crooked."

"It's just another blogger, Ryan," Kate told him. "He gets as much real respect as TMZ."

"Ooooh, reminds me, I have to check that out for the hourly update!" Castle said, rising to get out his iPhone. Kate's eye roll was cut off as Captain Roy Montgomery walked up. "Okay, folks, we got a homicide. Some exec at ARK Industries, Beckett, you're on it."

"Yes, sir," she said, rising to put on her jacket. "Come on, Castle."

"But, they're about to post the latest Kardashian sighting…"

"Castle!"

* * *

><p>Even in Manhattan, the bold pointed skyscraper of ARK Industries stood out with its triangle-shaped top aimed the skyline. Beckett ducked under the police tape to enter the main parking garage, Castle trailing after her, finishing up a phone call. "Yes, Mother, I'll call later." He hung up, sighing. "She's working on her next theater project and wants me to grab more dress material."<p>

"She's sending you to a dress shop?"

"No, to get curtains." He shook his head at her look. "Don't ask."

She focused on a man coming up toward them, dressed in an immaculate suit, his dark hair nicely slicked back and an easygoing smile on his face. "Detective Beckett? Peter Fleming." He offered a hand and shook with a strong grip. "This is a terrible tragedy and I promise we will cooperate fully in this investigation."

"Thank you, Mr. Fleming," Beckett said even as she put her guard up. She'd met more than a few slick operators before and recognized the type. "Did you know the victim?"

He sighed. "Sadly, yes. Marty Voyt, one of my top security men." He began leading the way to where several officers stood around the crime scene. The body of a strong-looking black man in a suit lay in a pool of blood. He was staring up at the ceiling, the bullet holes in his chest evident.

Castle winced as he looked at the body. "Very strict overtime parking rules here."

Fleming glared at him for a moment before looking to Beckett. "Our security cameras were down for nightly maintenance at the time of the murder."

"Any ideas who might have done this?" Kate asked as she looked over the body.

"He was our main security man," Fleming told her, keeping away from the body. "I make a lot of enemies, Detective, from business rivals to people on the street who don't agree with my practices." He raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps even some among the NYPD who don't approve of my…criticisms of your work."

Beckett fixed him with a harsh gaze. "Being told we can't close our cases and protect the public tends to rub us the wrong way."

"It's a cop issue," Castle said, feeling odd about being the only having to defuse tensions.

Fleming smiled. "Richard Castle, I'm a great admirer of your work. I enjoy insights into the criminal mind."

"It's a gift," Castle brushed off, ignoring Beckett's eye roll. "In fact, we may have more in common than you think. I've been wondering, how did you pull off that Hastings deal?"

"Oh, it was no trouble," Fleming said, turning his back on the body as he talked to Castle, obviously loving the idea of showing off his skills. As they talked, Beckett knelt to examine the body, seeing the pockets were turned out, indicating his killer had searched him. She was about to rise when she spotted something on the man's shoe. She leaned in closer and saw the heel on Voyt's right shoe seemed a bit off. Reaching with a gloved finger, Kate pushed it and it swung as if on a hinge, a small card falling out. She took it in her hands, turning it over, the thick data card looking like a large key of some sort.

She heard Fleming speaking and rose up, slipping the card into her coat pocket on instinct. Turning, she nodded to him. "We're going to need a full report on Mr. Voyt's movements for the last day."

"I'm afraid much of that is confidential, Detective," Fleming answered, once more the businessman. "We will be conducting our own personal investigation."

"This is a murder, Mr. Fleming, not some industrial espionage," Kate responded. "We'll be handling it."

Fleming's eyes flickered with something dangerous, for one instant not the businessman but…something else. It vanished but Kate still saw it as the man calmly replied. "We shall see, Detective. We shall see." He turned on his heel to walk away.

Castle moved up to Beckett, gazing after Fleming. "Gee, that wasn't at all foreboding," he dryly said.

Beckett shook his head. "All the rich guys are alike, think they're above the law. We'll see how hard it really is to touch him."

* * *

><p>"What do you mean, we can't touch him?"<p>

Beckett was staring across the office at Montgomery, the captain somber as he gazed back. "You heard me, Detective. Fleming's own people will be handling it from here on in."

Beckett shared a disbelieving look with Castle, who sat nearby before returning to Montgomery. "Sir, this isn't a federal landmark or anything. It was a public garage."

"Actually, on Fleming land."

"Fleming land?" Beckett widened her eyes. "What is this, old Texas?"

"It might as well be." Montgomery sighed. "Beckett, you know the shots he's taken at the NYPD and people do listen. This is a very delicate situation, we can't risk angering him."

"You mean the people up top can't," Beckett accused.

"True," Montgomery admitted. "He's got friends in very high places, Detective."

"Maybe I can talk to the mayor," Castle offered.

Montgomery shook his head. "It doesn't matter, Castle."

"But he likes me," Castle actually pouted.

"And Fleming has money and that'll trump friendship for a politician any time."

"Damn the money," Castle muttered.

Beckett put her hands on her hips. "We're supposed to just drop this?"

"Exactly," Montgomery said. "His people will have our reports as soon as the autopsy's finished and anything we found on the scene."

"Captain…"

"This isn't a request, Detective," Montgomery barked. "This comes from the top, it comes from me, so just do it!" Both Beckett and Castle were thrown by the heat of his voice. Noticing, Montgomery sighed, softening his tone. "Listen, I know this is hard. But it's out of our hands. Just put it aside and concentrate on cases we can solve."

Beckett glared before turning to leave the room, Castle following until Montgomery called out to him. "Castle." He waited until the writer had closed the door. "I know she's going to pursue this," the elder man said in a somber tone. "I need you to keep an eye out for her. This is a very delicate situation, Castle. If she gets on Fleming's bad side…there may be nothing I can do to help her."

"You know she won't listen," Castle pointed out.

"Try," Montgomery pressed. "For her sake." He watched as Castle left and let out a tired sigh as if feeling the weight of the world upon him.

Castle came to Beckett's desk, seeing her furiously working on the computer. "You should never Facebook when angry, trust me on that."

"Not in the mood, Castle," Beckett said.

Castle winced before leaning in. "Futile as it may sound, I would recommend…"

"Castle, don't make me get my gun."

"Okay, when you start talking dirty, it's time for me to go." Castle rose up. "Talk to you later, then."

Beckett just gave a grunt as she checked her e-mails. She wasn't happy about this to say the least, not liking the idea of giving up a case like this. Something in her gut was telling her that there was more to this case then met the eye. Something about Fleming just raised her hackles.

She slipped a hand into her pocket, feeling that odd card inside. She knew she should have turned it into evidence already but that annoying little voice in her head was telling her it was better to hold onto it for now. Kate remembered what Voyt had done and before she knew it, she was slipping the card into her shoe, adjusting it so it wouldn't stick out too much. She was about to get back to her work when a flashing image showed she had a new e-mail incoming. She tapped over to it and was startled when her screen was covered by what looked to be a large eye. It flashed for a bit as text appeared before it.

_**Kate Beckett. You're right to believe Marty Voyt knew more than he seemed. He knew the truth of how Chess is working with a man known as Scales to bring in some smuggled material into New York. If you want to know more, check out Dock 35 at the shipyards. Come alone, Chess will know of a raid right off. You're one of the good ones, Beckett, or at least I think you are. Best to prove me right as Orwell is watching. **_

The mail vanished just as Kate finished reading it. She tried but couldn't reopen it at all. She sat back in her chair, mulling her options. The smart thing would be to tell Montgomery and get some cars down to that docks. She should also get computer crimes to start checking the system and trace this "Orwell" down. But the cop within Kate Beckett was intrigued. One didn't send a message like this on a lark and it lined up with what she was already suspecting about Voyt. She paused long enough to jot a quick message down before rising to go.

* * *

><p>The docks were quiet at this time of night so Beckett had little problem finding her way around. She paused as she checked out some nearby containers, a small flashlight guiding her way. She wore gloves with the rest of her outfit to handle the chilly air, making her way to the right dock. It was a mix of various container carts ready for loading and Kate noted how many of them bore the ARK Corporation logo which was enough to get her interested.<p>

As she examined them, she ran through what she knew of Scales. Dominic Raoul was Australian by birth, cursed with a condition that caused his skin to resemble lizard-like scales. With his hulking form, he'd built a criminal empire, forced to flee the country and reestablish himself in New York. If he was involved, Kate knew this was serious, even if this supposed "Chess" wasn't in this.

She felt a latch and was mildly surprised to find one container door wasn't locked. She jerked the handle and opened it, looking into a crate of what appeared to be a bunch of dolls. She lifted one up, feeling how heavy it was and rubbed the back. She felt a crack inside it and opened it up, reaching in to take out a cylinder. It was metallic and painted over with various letterings. Kate didn't recognize it all but the clearly labeled "explosive material" words and drawing of a radioactive cloud were enough to let her know it wasn't good.

She took out her phone, quickly punching in Montgomery's number. He picked up quickly, his gravely voice coming in clear. "_Detective, where_…."

"Captain, get all available units down to Dock 35," Beckett said, intent on the canister in her hands. "We've got illegal explosives in ARK trucks."

"_Beckett, wait_…"

"Sir, we can't wait! I don't know if Fleming is really involved but someone in his company is…."

Too late, she felt a shadowy form behind her just as a strong grip snaked around her neck. Kate tried to punch back at him until she felt the blasting pain of a taser at her neck and a flash of agony before blackness took her.

* * *

><p>Pain was echoing in her mind as Kate slowly came awake. She tried to reach her hands up to brush her hair only to find she couldn't move them. She came awake with a start to realize she was bound to a chair tightly. She struggled but it was no use, her hands cuffed as well as feet. She felt an absence at her hip, realizing her service weapon was missing. However, the slight ache in her left shoe told her the key she'd taken was still safely hidden. She looked around, seeing what appeared to be the interior of an empty train car, slats from above letting the early morning light drift in.<p>

"I tried to warn you, Kate."

She whipped her head around to see Montgomery leaning on the wall. The captain was dressed more casually, just slacks and a dark sweater with a somber expression on his face. "Captain?" Kate asked, wincing as she sat up straight. "Wha…what's going on?"

Montgomery stepped up, his eyes carrying true sorrow as he looked at the detective he'd known for so long. "When I saw the note you left, I was afraid you'd come here. I'd hoped you wouldn't but…it's out of my hands now."

"Captain…what the hell are you talking about?"

"He is talking about the latest move in my game, Detective." Kate looked over as a figure stepped out of the shadows, accompanied by a pair of masked guards. He was clad in black military pants with a red leather vest, his head covered by a black mask that covered him like a lizard's head. What threw Kate were his eyes which appeared to be slits in the shape of a king's chess piece. Her lips were turned upward in a sly smile as he came in.

"Let me guess," Kate breathed. "Chess."

"Good, I was afraid you'd waste time denying me existence," the man said in a smooth accent that carried a hint of a rasp to it. "I had hoped, Detective, that it would not come to this. The loss of Marty Voyt was bad enough. I trusted that man and for him to steal from me…"

"Voyt was your inside man in ARK," Kate concluded. "He was passing you intel on their codes."

Chess chuckled. "Ah, my dear Detective Beckett. So smart and yet so naive. What use have I for an inside man…" He reached up to his mask, unzipping the back. "When I know all he knows." He removed the mask to reveal a very familiar face with tousled black hair.

Kate knew her jaw was hanging open but couldn't help but gape at the unmasked Peter Fleming. "But…Why?" she managed to stammer.

"Chess has his uses," Fleming said, his voice shifting into his normal tone, which made his appearance more bizarre. "My goal, Detective, is to make ARK as vital to this city as the police force is and more so. It is a delicate process, much like any game of chess. It requires special moves and strategies within strategies. Marty Voyt nearly ruined one of them when he stole from me a security disc containing full records of ARK personnel, codes and a master key to any vault of my design."

Reflexively, Kate moved her shoe, feeling the card within it and realizing she was literally sitting on the key Fleming sought. The man was too busy speaking to see the move. "Sadly, Mr. Voyt suddenly decided a conscience was worth more than my loyalty or money and attempted to take it to the authorities. Thus, sadly, I had to sacrifice him. Unfortunately, he must have secreted what he stole before he met his fate." He shrugged. "But I am confident it won't upend my plans too much. "

"Which are what?" Beckett asked. She was hiding the fear she felt over the obvious fact that if Fleming was showing his face and admitting to murder, it meant he had no intention of letting her live.

Fleming smiled, which made the eye contacts look as if they were sparking with menace. "You were obviously a comic book fan in your youth. I hate to disappoint, Detective, but while I'd love for you to appreciate my genius, I have not the time to waste detailing my plans. The time has come for another sacrificial pawn and you have fit into that role."

Beckett narrowed her eyes. "You kill me and you'll have half the NYPD on your tail in no time."

He let out a long and heartfelt laugh. "Detective Becket, I own half the NYPD, not to mention media and contacts in every branch of every federal agency in New York. Those who weren't bought were…persuaded." He motioned toward Montgomery. "Your good captain here has been forced to abide by my decisions or else I expose his connection to the group of men responsible for the murder of your mother."

Kate felt the blood drain from her face as she stared at Montgomery as if she'd never seen it before. The man looked ashamed, turning his face away. "I'm sorry, Kate. I never wanted it to go this far but…It's out of my hands."

Fleming pulled the mask back on and when he spoke, it was once more in that strange rasp. "A great player adapts his strategy to fit a change in the game. He must also be able to endure a sacrifice." He pointed at Kate. "When what remains of your body is found by the wreckage of this exploded car, the evidence of your guilt will be clear."

"Wh…what?" Kate blinked in confusion before letting out a short laugh. "Guilt of what?"

"Why, of being one of Chess' many agents, Detective. A homicide cop, perfect cover for one involved in the criminal lifestyle. You were overseeing the transfer of these explosives yourself when the police raided the facility, having been investigating you for the last several months."

Beckett shook her head. "No one will believe that."

Chess smiled. "You talk as if I've never done it before. The paper trail has been laid to your hidden account in the Caymans. Your personal computer will have a year's worth of encrypted files detailing your involvement in various of my criminal efforts. The police who raid this facility will swear to seeing you with my men and exchanging gunfire with them just as Internal Affairs will swear to having been secretly on your trail for the last four months. By the time my contacts in the media are through, you will have achieved far more noriety than your print counterpart, albeit in a less genial light."

The matter-of-fact way he said this, reciting it with calm certainty, no pause at all was what convinced Kate he was telling the truth. That one man could so corrupt an entire system was more horrifying to her than what he was planning for her. She tensed against the ropes, shaking her head again. "My team won't believe it."

"Two officers, a medical examiner and an author? Hardly the sort of thing to keep me awake at night." He began to back up. "It does mean Chess goes from a boogeyman to something real but I believe this may only enhance my plans." He turned to walk away, calling over his shoulder. "Farewell, Detective Beckett. Be sure your sacrifice will not be in vain when it comes to my endgame."

One of the guards moved toward her as she looked to Montgomery. "Captain…please, Captain, don't…" She knew she was pleading but desperation pushes one to extremes. "Captain, you can't…"

He looked back at her with a sad stare before walking away. It was the last sight Kate had before she once again felt that pain in her neck and lost consciousness once more.

* * *

><p>The sound of gunfire awoke her, rousing her fast as she remembered what had been happening. Kate was surprised to see she was no longer bound but then realized that having her corpse tied up might be a tad bit suspicious. She looked around to see she was alone but the sounds of gunfire close. She glanced beside her, eyes widening as she saw a trio of the canisters set right by the wall of the fright car, easily within range to catch a "stray bullet."<p>

Kate had no idea how much time she had before the explosion would go off but knew it wasn't enough. She looked about in desperation, a glint of metal catching her eye. She knelt to see a small part of the floor was raised, a panel slightly off. She tried to pry at it but it wouldn't give despite her grunting and yanking until a nail snapped off. She looked around and saw the chair lying in the corner. She raced toward it, kicking hard at a leg until it snapped off. Kate moved back, jamming it into the raised edge. She pushed down as hard as she could, feeling the sweat on her forehead, pushing until at last the panel began to rise up. She adjusted the arm in the gap and pushed it again, then pulled it up enough for her to slip through.

She landed on the ground, groaning in pain from the effort. She heard the gunfire coming closer and could see SWAT soldiers coming over, firing rifles. Kate knew trying to identify herself wouldn't do any good. Glancing down, she saw a grating under the car and grabbed it. She yanked it up and slid underneath, falling into a large sewer. Spitting out some dirty water, she rose up to start running.

And that was when the bullet found the canister and a massive explosion rocked right above her, filling the sewer with a shockwave and a billow of flame.

* * *

><p>The docks were a bevy of activity as Rick Castle ran up to the scene. Cops were about along with slews of reporters. Castle moved toward Ryan, who was staring out at the distance. "Ryan! Ryan!"<p>

The cop turned and the lost look on his face told Castle it was bad. "Kate?" he managed to whisper.

Ryan swallowed. "She was on the scene…they said she got caught in an explosion…"

Castle was rocked back. "She…how? Why?"

"They're saying…" Ryan wiped his face. "They're saying she was in on it, she was helping them…"

"No," Castle said. "No way, not Kate."

"I don't want to believe it either," Ryan said. "But….she's gone, Castle. She's just…gone."

And for one of the few times in his life, Richard Castle couldn't think of a single thing to say.


	2. The Carnival of Crime

**Castle and Cape**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Chapter Two: The Carnival of Crime**

* * *

><p>Alexis Castle had seen her father in many moods before. Often, they coincided with a bad review of one of his books. But this was different. Far, far different. He'd been moody for the last two days but now…something had happened in the phone call he'd gotten that sent him into his den and opening the liquor cabinet, something Alexis hadn't seen him do in a long while. She knew he wanted to be alone but part of being a good daughter was helping in a crisis. "Dad?"<p>

Richard Castle sat in a large chair, staring into space. Alexis was happy to see his glass of bourbon was mostly untouched, more for show than actual drinking. "Dad?" she asked as she entered the den. "What's wrong?"

Castle sighed. "My publisher just called. Evidentially, they have reconsidered taking my next Nikki Heat novel."

"What?" Alexis blurted. "Why?"

"Apparently, the fact that the woman I based the character on is now a disgraced and dead cop has taken some of the marketability away," Castle sighed. "I'm already getting requests to 'pull a Derrick Storm' on her."

Alexis sat next to him, rubbing his shoulder. "It's not right. I can't believe she did that."

"I don't either, hon." He reached for his glass to take a sip. "But we're the minority in this." He stared into space. "I just can't believe she's gone."

There were times when nothing more than a good, long, steady hug from a daughter could suffice and this was one of them as the two mourned together.

* * *

><p>The third time was not the charm for Kate Beckett as she once more clawed her way back into consciousness. This time, however, she was aided by a wave of water thrown right into her face. She gasped out, blinking and whipping her head around to clear herself. She was once more bound to a chair but as she looked around, she realized she was not in a small space by any means.<p>

It looked for all the world like the interior of a huge circus tent, light filtering from above and various bulbs and lanterns placed about. The floor was wood with something painted over it and her chair was in the middle of a large ring with slews of amusement park-type items strewn about from a popcorn machine to a pipe organ to a large trailer set at one end. Movement caught her eye and she looked up to see someone sitting on a trapeze, swinging as she looked down at Kate. She looked around to see more people gathered at the ring's edges: A man on ten-foot tall stilts, a contortionist bending his body in half absent-mindedly, another sitting at the trailer with a guitar, all gazing intently at her.

"Rollo, wake her up," came a booming voice and Kate looked over to see a three-foot tall man with a bald head but a mean face, wearing a unitard with a chain mesh top, ready to throw another bucket of water into her face. "Wait, wait, I'm awake, I-" She was cut off as the water smashed into her, causing her to sputter. "Sorry," the dwarf named Rollo said with no sign of sorry at all.

As soon as her eyes cleared, Kate saw the dwarf stepping aside to join two others who stood in the ring. One was a tall man who was rather handsome with Middle Eastern features, a dark beard and penetrating eyes. He was clad in a silky suit, playing with some balls in his hands. The other was a pretty woman in a wild top and tight green pants, her blond hair spreading out and tattoos on her arms, chewing on a ball of cotton candy in her hand.

The final person in the ring was the one who really caught Kate's attention. He appeared to be in his fifties, black-skinned with grey in his short hair. He was clad in a strange black suit with multiple rings and necklaces around his throat. He lounged in the chair, examining a folded newspaper with one hand while the other held a glass of wine. He tore his eyes away from the paper to look Kate over, then looked back at the news. "One hundred and twelve on the nose, am I right?" he calmly asked.

"What?" Kate blinked in confusion. She felt a smack on her head and jerked toward Rollo. "He's guessing your weight," the dwarf said. "112, right?"

Utterly baffled at this, Kate had no consideration for ego and nodded. "Yeah…yeah, 112."

"He's never wrong!" the woman said in a chipper voice, waving to the black man.

"I never miss!" he answered, raising his glass.

Kate swallowed. "Where the hell am I?"

The man spread out his hands lavishly. "Welcome to Malini's Oddities and Amusements." He bowed his head. "Max Malini, at your service." He sipped his wine as he regarded Kate. "So…you're one of Chess' people."

Kate shook her head. "No…no, I don't work for Chess."

Max raised an eyebrow. "Do I have egg on my face? I wonder where I could have possibly gotten that idea from?" He threw the newspaper down at Kate's lap. She looked at it, seeing a photo of herself in her uniform under the headline _**Homicide Detective Killed, Implicated as Chess Accomplice. **_A photo of the destroyed train was underneath along with an editorial of police corruption.

A blasting sound echoed and Kate jumped in her chair before realizing it was Max playing the organ dramatically. "Listen," she began, licking her lips. "You want the truth…Chess is Peter Fleming."

The reaction was much as she expected as everyone immediately broke out in derisive laughter. "He is!" Beckett yelled. She sighed. "Look, who the hell are you people? What do you want?"

"Money, you sad, slow-thinking woman," Max hissed as he came to face her, the laughter gone and his hands spread out to wave at everyone around them. "We are the Carnival of Crime. We're professional thieves. My people pulled you out of that tunnel because we thought there might be a use for you." He leaned in, glowering. "Now is there or not, because I'm getting thirsty!" He tossed the wine onto Kate's face, causing her to gasp again.

"I'm really…really…getting tired of being drowned like this!" she yelled.

"Life is full of disappointments," Max shrugged. "Well?"

Beckett shuffled in her chair. "I'm just a cop."

"Wrong answer," Max hissed. He stepped back as Kate felt Rollo smack her across the head. "We hate cops!" Max called out. "They tend to arrest people like us."

"Max," the tattooed woman said. "You…you're screaming."

He looked over at her and his voice suddenly changed to a more casual and defensive tone. "Wha...I'm using my stage voice!" It suddenly dawned on Beckett that this wasn't an interrogation, it was a performance piece. Max sat down as one of the performers refilled his wine glass. "When you were with Chess, you were interesting," he finally said with exaggerated disappointment. "Now, you're boring." He took a sip of his glass and shrugged, looking to the Arabian man nearby. "Ruvi, dump her in the bay, cut off her hands. Head too, I guess."

"Aw, come on, Max, she's kinda hot!" Rollo said as if he hadn't spent the last few minutes smacking Kate.

If there was one thing working with Richard Castle for two years had taught Beckett, it was thinking fast on her feet. "Wait…wait…wait!" she yelled out as Ruvi moved toward her. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she began to speak. "I'm a cop….who can give you the personnel, schedules and security codes to the Manhattan branch of the ARK Security Corporation."

That got the Carnival's attention, Max sitting up straight in his seat. "Get Tattoo here to check my shoe," Kate went on, lifting up her foot. At Max's nod, Rollo pulled the shoe off and reached in, pulling out the card that had been nagging at Kate all day. He paused to give her a light smack before handing it to Max. Shrugging the shot off, Kate went on. "That contains all the data I mentioned. But it's also a master key, it'll open any vault ARK has set up in this city. That includes banks, jewelry stores, personal safes, you name it."

Max studied the key for a moment before looking at Beckett. "You say you're a cop. And yet, you're ready to give us a free reign to the robbery spree of a lifetime?"

Kate returned his gaze just as steadily. "The money and goods are insured by ARK. The investors and owners don't lose a dime. The only person who gets hurt is Fleming and believe me, I want to hurt him." She took another deep breath. "So….how much is my life worth to you now?"

Max studied her, then the card before looking to his followers. A sly smile came to his face as he held the key up. "How many times do I have to tell you all? A little showmanship goes a long way." He nodded to Rollo. "Let her go. Raia," he turned to the tattooed woman nearby. "Her room ready?"

She nodded as Max turned back to a gaping Kate. "What? We're thieves, we're not monsters." He chuckled and Kate made a mental note to someday have this man drop by and clean up at Castle's next poker game.

* * *

><p>Martha Rodgers disliked coming this deep into the city unless it was for shopping. But to shop, one needed money and as her son wasn't much in the mood to go out lately, that left her to do this. She was clad in one of her usual stylish dresses with a light hat, going through her dated checkbook to make sure she had the right account numbers. She hated waiting in line but some things were simply unable to be avoided.<p>

She sighed as she tried to put her thoughts in order. Poor Richard had been so distant the last two days, it was amazing he had even see her go. She couldn't blame him though. The way the media acted, you'd think Kate Beckett had drowned her own children. Granted, Martha hadn't known her as well but she regarded herself a good judge of character and there was no way that woman was some corrupt cop. But once the media juggernaut got started, it was hard to stop and with her face plastered and vilified, anyone standing up for her wasn't due for a good time.

Her musings were interrupted by the door banging open. She looked over, curious as to who could be entering that way and why make such a noise. She turned in time to see a group of figures enter, all dressed in bizarre quasi-military outfits with motorcycle helmets and goggles, a couple in ski masks. Their leader, a heavyset black man, swept out a cane to knock the guard at the door off his feet. A dwarf fired a shotgun that looked bigger than he was, causing everyone to yell out in surprise.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the black man announced, his mouth split in a huge grin as he threw up his hands. "This is a hold-up!"

The gang spread out, yelling at everyone to hit the floor, face-down and no sudden moves. Ignoring the aching in her bones, Martha quickly complied, wincing as she saw one man kick a guard down as a third leapt onto the counters to cover the entire room. One gang member, a woman under her strange outfit, raced to the large bank vault and held a card up to it. There was a series of beeps and then a loud click. She spun the huge wheel around as the black man came up to help her pull the vault door open.

"Face down!" the dwarf barked at Martha, aiming the gun at her and she quickly obeyed. She peered up through her hands to see the leader, the woman and another exit the vault, each carrying several large bags marked with the ARK lettering. "Let's go!" he called out and the gang backed up with him, still covering the customers. They left the bank, leaving behind a shocked group of people and Martha Rodgers realizing life truly was more dramatic than anything the stage could provide.

* * *

><p>The laughter rang loud and long as the bags were emptied onto the desk inside Max's trailer. It was surprisingly opulent, covered with thick carpeting and paneling and shelves lined with bizarre items from around the world. Max was sitting behind the desk as the Carnival gleefully watched tens of thousands of dollars in bound piles pouring onto the desk.<p>

Max lifted his glass up to the woman standing at the far end of the trailer. "Folks…we have a winner!" He gave a toast to Beckett before settling back as they started to count their ill-gotten gains.

Kate sighed before turning to exit the trailer. She had managed to grab a shower, now wearing a spare pair of jeans and a dark shirt from one of the members of the crew. She walked out into the center ring, looking upward. She felt a presence and looked up to see Raia hanging overhead from the trapeze. "Didn't want to come along?" she asked.

Beckett glared at her. "I'm a cop."

"Was a cop," the acrobat corrected. "Now, you're just a lost soul, like all of us."

Kate looked back at the trailer. "I don't get it. Why are you all here?"

Raia shrugged. "We all have our stories. Me, grew up in foster care, never had a real family. I got into going on wires and on roofs to escape people, sort of evolved from there. I was making a living as a small-time thief when I met Max. He gave me a home. A family."

"This is a family?"

Raia smiled softly. "Closer than most blood. You're a murder cop, you should know how crazy 'real' families can get." Beckett had to concede the point as Raia sent her trapeze on a wide swing. "You found out how unfair the world really is, Kate. That's the first step to being one of us."

"I won't be," Beckett argued as she started to walk away. "I'm a cop at heart, I'm not like you."

The acrobat just smiled as she walked off. "Not yet," she whispered.

* * *

><p>"This sucks, man," Esposito was muttering under his breath. Being in a cemetery was enough to make anyone downbeat but the circumstances weren't helping. It was him, Ryan, Montgomery, Castle and his family and Lanie, all dressed in black clothing. The medical examiner had a tearful expression as she stared at the coffin nearby. A wreath with flowers was laid on it with a photo of Beckett next to it. What was obvious were the dozen empty chairs laid about, expecting a funeral party that didn't arrive.<p>

"Tell me about it," Ryan muttered back. "She gave her life for the job, they wouldn't even give her a cop funeral?"

"I tried to get guys to come," Espositio said. "Got a dozen dirty looks and that asshole Blake from Robbery actually asked if Chess was throwing the lunch afterward."

"Remind me to punch him next time I see him."

"Already done."

Lanie was wiping at her eyes, trying to compose herself. "I still can't believe it. I can't…" She shook her head. "I wanted to check the records, to make sure but the feds took over, I can't get the files."

"Does it matter?" Ryan asked. "You saw that explosion on the news, how she was nearby. No way anyone survived it."

"But it's not right," Lanie pressed. "We knew her, we know she wasn't some corrupt cop in Chess' back pocket."

"What we know and what we can prove are two different things." They all looked up to see Montgomery standing before them. "I'm with the rest of you. I know she was innocent. But the higher-ups have made up their minds, they want this closed fast."

"And she gets shafted?" Ryan argued. "Kate Beckett goes down as a corrupt cop, it's not right, Captain!"

"I know," Montgomery said. "But right now, I'm fighting to keep them breaking this unit up."

"We're not a unit without Beckett," Espositio argued.

Montgomery sighed as he sat down next to them. "I know. But she'd want us to do our jobs." He glared at them. "Which means not looking into this." All three were opening their mouths in protest but he cut them off. "This is an order. IA is looking into all of us already, we can't handle extra scrutiny. Any of you are found looking into Beckett's case, even on your own time, and I won't be able to protect you."

He settled into his chair. "Right now…we mourn her. We remember her. And we try to move on."

The others reluctantly sat back as Castle stood up. He walked to the head of the coffin, sighing as he rubbed the lid. "I know she's not in here," he began. "She never was the spiritual sort. Neither am I, really. But I'd like to think she's in a better place now. She was a special woman. She was tough, dedicated, she believed in justice with all her heart." He glanced back at the cemetery's entrance where a slew of reporters had gathered. He did his best to swallow his bile at the idea of them showing "the fallen cop's funeral" and pushed himself to go on.

"I was in a bit of a flux when I met her. Funny how a series of murders ended up giving my career new life. She and I argued and fought but I always respected her. She…" He felt himself choking up and continued. "She was a friend, one of the best I've had. No matter what they say, she was the best cop I've ever known. And she…meant a lot to me. Not as some muse or inspiration but…As someone who helped me out in tough times. Someone I knew and…wanted to know better and…" He stopped, wiping at his eyes. "I'm sorry, I can't…"

Alexis came up to hug him tightly and help him back to his chair. Martha was dabbing at her eyes under the veil she wore, rubbing her son's shoulder. The priest moved to begin the service as the group of mourners remembered their friend. One in particular doing so with a weight of guilt on his heart he hoped wasn't showing on his face.

* * *

><p>The figure leaned on a tree twenty yards away, staring at the funeral. From a distance, it was no one special, jeans and a dark sweatshirt with both hood and a baseball cap pulled to conceal their features. Had someone been close, they'd have seen the feminine features with a sheen of tears in her eyes as she gazed at the ceremony.<p>

"I thought I'd find you here."

Kate spun around to see Max standing behind her, leaning on his cane, a top hat with his usual strange outfit. "Watching your own funeral," he went on as he came to her. "And they accuse me of being melodramatic."

"What are you doing here, Max?"

"Stopping you from making a huge mistake," he told her, his smile fading. "I know you want to go down there, tell them the truth and everything. But the minute Fleming knows you're alive, not only are you dead, so are they."

"They can keep it quiet."

Max rolled his eyes. "Good lord, woman, are you that naive? You think Chess doesn't have people watching this thing right now, if only to make sure Montgomery doesn't crack?"

"There's evidence out there, there has to be."

"So what if there is? Who are you going to give it to? He owns the cops, he owns the media, who knows who's he got in the feds?" Max put a hand on her shoulder. "The best way to hurt him is to steal his money." He grinned. "And who better to help you with that than me?"

Kate looked back to the funeral and Max sighed. "I know it's hard. You think you're the only one who's lost everything? It's why most of the Carnival exists." He turned her around so Kate could look him in the eye. "I promise you this, Kate. I pay my debts, despite what some will say. You gave us that card so I promise, you trust me and I'll help you find a way to get back your life."

Kate saw what looked like true sincerity in his eyes. Of course, the man was a master showman so it was hard to tell if it was for real. But she still nodded back in agreement. Max adjusted his hat. "We'd best be off before someone catches sight of us for an ugly scene." He began to walk off, Kate holding back to gaze at the funeral. Particularly the one heartbroken man she desperately wanted to heal but couldn't. Then she walked off to join Max and her new life.


	3. Birth of a Hero

**Castle and Cape**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Chapter Three: Birth of a Hero**

* * *

><p>Kate had been surprised at first to find the Carnival had a small gym set up. It was quickly pointed out to her that given their profession, keeping in shape was a necessity. It was quiet in the morning, the carnival performers resting from the night before. So Kate had the small space to herself as she worked on a punching bag. She wasn't usually one for fisticuffs in her training but the events of the last few days left her with a lot of aggression to work out. She pounded on the bag with fists and a few kicks, trying to let loose the anger built within her.<p>

She finally stopped, heaving for breath. She grabbed a bottle of water to drink it down and used a towel to wipe her forehead off. She saw a newspaper nearby and looked over the front page. One story was on the Carnival's latest robbery with questions on how ARK' security could fail like this. She flipped around, grateful her own name seemed to have vanished from the news and felt some satisfaction at the picture of a perturbed Peter Fleming addressing reporters to defend his company.

The smile faded as she saw an item with a photo of Castle. She read the article with a growing sense of dread. _"In the wake of the revelations involving Detective Kate Beckett, now only have plans for the next Nikki Heat novel been canceled but production has ceased on the planned movie adaptation. While the studio cited budget concerns, insiders claim the project is dead, not unlike reader interest in the other Heat novels. Author Richard Castle was unavailable for comment regarding his future plans and whether his career is over."_

Kate sighed as she threw the paper down. While she was worried about Ryan and Esposito, it was Castle who worried her the most. The man didn't ask to be dragged into her problems yet was paying the price simply for knowing her. It wasn't fair, not to him, not to Alexis, not to any of them. She looked around, trying to focus on her next workout when something caught her eye.

She walked past the training area, pushing back a curtain to see one of the many costume rooms of the Carnival. It was a collection of outfits of various types, many as outlandish as you could imagine. Billowing a bit in the breeze of the tent was a long black cloak on a hook. Kate felt it, her fingers running over its smooth surface. She pulled it off and draped it in her hands. On an impulse, she spun it around, whipping it about like a cape. She pulled it around herself, feeling it flow about her body.

A rare childhood memory came to Kate, herself hanging around a comic book shop, ready to buy the latest series. She had an affinity for Elektra but still liked the classics of the hero genre. The idea of a common person taking on the responsibility of defending others, it had always appealed to Kate. It was common for cops, many deciding to seek justice this way since super-heroes didn't really exist. Kate played with the cloak more, remembering how she'd once wanted to be like that before she'd grown up.

She pulled it off and shook her head. That was fantasty of course. In the real world, things like that just didn't happen. In the real world…

A cop didn't get framed for a crime she didn't commit. Didn't come to be believed dead by the world. Didn't know of a secret danger to the city by a madman hiding in plain sight. Didn't end up falling in with a circus full of thieves.

Kate stared at the cloak in her hands as her mind suddenly opened to a new possibility. It was crazy, completely crazy. It was Castle-level crazy, not the sort of thing she would contemplate. There was no way it could possibly work out.

And yet…and yet…

* * *

><p>To his credit, Max listened to her without interrupting once. He sat by the desk in his trailer as Kate outlined her proposal, listening quietly as he held the cloak in his hands. When she was finished, he was quiet before lifting it up, studying it with a light smile. "I haven't seen this old rag in years." He grinned. "That would be quite an act." He let out a heavy sigh before rising. "But what you're suggesting….Forget it. It's impossible."<p>

"Why?" Kate pressed as she stood up with him. "Who says it is?"

"Me, for one," Max responded. "And if I say an act won't work, I know it."

"What are you afraid of?"

"Look," Max began in a condescending tone. "We've got a good thing going here."

"No, you have a good thing," Kate pressed, leaning over the desk. "This isn't me, Max, this isn't what I want. But this is the best way I can think of to send a message."

"What message?" he barked. "That not only are you alive but you've also lost your mind?"

"That Chess does not own this town," Kate pressed. "That there's still hope out there. That one person can make a difference, no matter what is thrown at them." Max turned away with a grunt and Kate pressed on. "Dammit, Max, you promised me. Now, was that just talk? Have you got anything left in the tank? Hell, were you ever anything?"

He whirled on her in anger. "You watch it, girl."

"Because all I see here is some broken-down loser…"

"_I'm Max Malini!"_

_"Is it possible?"_

They stared at one another for a long moment, both intense and ungiving. Max finally spoke up in a softer but no less intense tone. "I've broken ninety-two bones in pursuit of the perfect illusion. Trained a generation of escapists, acrobats, magicians, I specialize in the impossible!"

Without warning, he whipped the cloak outward, the end wrapping around a glass on the table. With a tug, he yanked it back and it landed directly into his hand. He held it up with a smile as Beckett blinked in amazement. Max studied the cloak and shook his head. "But this…this won't cut it. Not for what you want. You need something…special." He looked back up and his expression sobered as he stepped close, his voice low and warning.

"But I do nothing halfway. This will cost you, more than you realize. You'll learn just how much the human body can withstand. And the mind." He pressed two fingers to her head for emphasis. "If I have to break you down in order to rebuild you, that's exactly what I'll do. I will put you through a hell you can't possibly imagine and you won't question me at any point during it if you want to survive." That sly smile came back to his face as he backed up. "You give me your soul, Kate Beckett…and I'll make you the greatest circus act this world has ever seen."

And with a spin of the cape and a cloud of purple smoke, he vanished from sight.

Kate paused to roll her eyes at the over-the-top exit before calling out. "Where do we start?"

* * *

><p>The main wardrobe of the Carnival was jokingly referred to as "the Closet." In truth, it was a huge room with two levels, curtains covering various changing booths loaded with every possible costume conceivable. It was a must for both a circus and a band of robbers and one could spend hours going through it. Max took to it as if he knew every single nook and cranny, which he probably did. He was on the upper level as Kate waited down below in her jeans and dark shirt. "Here we go," he said as he tossed down a heavy leather chest plate. "That will help…and…" He tossed down a mask, Kate catching it in her hands. It was a large mask capable of hiding her entire face with a filter at the mouth. "You think I need this?" she called up.<p>

"First rule of illusion, my dear," Max called from inside one of the rooms. "Is misdirection. Not knowing you're a woman will put people off balance, make them misjudge you and that will help."He walked out to head toward another room. "But that's not the key to it all."

"And a cape is?"

"This one is. It was one of a kind, specially designed with varied elements like weighted ends for throws, things like that. It was made for Kosmov, the Russian escapist. They called him unkillable." Max chuckled and Kate got the feeling he was enjoying a private joke. He rummaged through a rack and let out a triumphant yell. "Voila!"

He scaled back down the ladder, carrying what looked like a cloak in his hands. It was dark blue to the point of almost being black, a cape with a hood at the end. "It's made entirely of spider silk," Max told her as he held it up for review. "Stronger than Kevlar…" He gave it a tug and the cape seemed to fold up into the hood. "Yet thinner than filament."

He handed it over, letting Kate hold it in her hands. It was odd, it felt so light yet when she turned it over, she could feel a heft to it, a weight that belied its size. Max held a small ball in his hands. "There are thirty-seven vanishing illusions that use a cape. You will master them all." He threw the pellet down, creating another smoke cloud and when it parted, he had vanished from sight, leaving Kate watching in wonder.

* * *

><p>"Spin, spin, spin, snap!" Max's words echoed in the tent as Kate stood in the center of the main ring, practicing with the cape. It was strange how it felt almost alive, flowing about her as she spun about, working the billowing cloth around. It was clasped by a chain around her neck as she held the special cloth handles inside to work it, letting it whip outward. It stretched with each spin and tug, the ends spreading outward in flowing waves. Yet at a certain pull, it was able to fold back inward and into her grasp. That was, when it wasn't trying to wrap itself over her feet and trip her up.<p>

Max shook his head as he looked at her. "No, no, you're fighting it too much! The cape must retract, free you up to fight with a fighting form that embraces the cape. Again!" Kate set herself to work, trying to whip the edge of the cape toward a glass resting on a chair in the center of the ring.

"British Bartitsu, Kodokan judo," Max was saying as he walked behind her. "The Warrior Dancers of the Tang Dynasty used their robes as weapons. Again! And so will you." As he watched, Kate threw the cape out, letting the end of it wrap around the glass. She smiled as she yanked, the glass sailing over her head and smashing through one of the windows of Max's trailer.

The two looked at each other, Max shrugging. "Eventually."

* * *

><p>The carnival workers gathered around the smaller right ring which had mats set on the floor and even makeshift ropes around it. Raia walked around with a card saying "Round 1" as the rest of them whooped at the two fighters. Kate was clad in a muscle shirt and jeans, smirking at Rollo. "Okay, little man," she called out. "Let's see how tough you are when I'm not tied to a chair!"<p>

"Bring it, girlie!" he growled at her. Kate lunged in and the dwarf easily ducked her charge, grabbing her leg and with surprising strength, sent her crashing to the mat. Before Kate could recover, Rollo was sitting on her back, grabbing the leg and pulling it hard. Kate howled in agony before slapping the mat, the crowd cheering as the dwarf rose to smirk at her. "Size doesn't matter when your opponent fights dirty, hot-stuff." He lifted his arms in celebration as Kate rose up in pain, realizing this was not going to be as easy as she thought. "Kiss my ass, Frank Miller," she muttered under her breath.

* * *

><p>Ruvi's trailer was smaller than the others, dimly lit with various strange items about, including some supernatural-themed posters. The man sat at the table with Kate on the other side, droning on in a monotone voice. "The secret to mentalism is not to let the sucker know he's being hypnotized. You talk about the weather or family or anything to hide the fact you're slowly working your way into his mind, his soul…"<p>

Kate tried to hide her skepticism at his words. She had no idea why Max was making her do this. Hypnosis was nothing more than a pile of bunk but he insisted it could be a help, not just with others but helping her own training. Right now, she was just bored out of her skull as she listened the man drone on, waving his fingers about like he was really weaving some sort of spell on her, it was so crazy to just sit and listen and watch him, just a waste to listen and watch…

She jarred as his hand slammed on the table, blinking. "What was that?" she asked, worried she'd missed something.

"I hypnotized you, sucker," Ruvi said as he chewed on a toothpick.

"Um, no, you didn't," Beckett automatically said.

"Then how come you have a haircut?"

"I don't…" Beckett reached for her neck only to find her hair wasn't there. She leapt up to look at a mirror and saw her hair was now the short length it had been when she first met Castle, barely reaching her shoulders with bangs headed out. She whirled on Ruvi, eyes wide, who shrugged. "You needed one anyway."

Beckett kicked the door open, yelling out "Max, tell me you found my gun!" as Ruvi just chuckled.

* * *

><p>Kate flopped on the floor like a fish, ignoring the laughter from those watching. She groaned as she finally managed to work her shoulder out of the straightjacket. She worked it around, grabbing the pin inside and fiddled with the lock. She set her teeth as it jilted about, failing again again until it finally clicked open. Once it did, she shrugged off the heavy chains as well as the jacket, rising to her feet.<p>

Sitting with Ruvi, Rollo and others, Max glanced at his stopwatch. "Congratulations. It only took you twenty-seven minutes this time." He smirked at Kate. "Now, how about trying it with some actual feeling?"

She just glared as she picked the chains up.

* * *

><p>Kate adjusted the thick gloves on her hands. "You sure these will work?"<p>

"They should," Raia said. She was wearing a simple unitard, albeit one a bright pink color, helping Kate adjust the gloves. Beckett was wearing a red unitard of her own, grateful Raia had insisted on the male members of the carnival being banned from this session.

Next to them was a squat woman with weathered features, leaning on a black cane, her graying hair offsetting her face, wearing a rather loud dress. Natayla had been the costume designer for the Carnival since they started, the one called upon to put together special outfits if a job required it. She pointed at the gloves as she began to speak in a bizarre and thick voice, the language seeming to mix together German, Spanish and a half dozen other European languages. Kate looked at Raia in confusion. "What'd she say?"

"No one knows what she says," the acrobat answered. "But we always know what she means." She pointed at the gloves. "There's brass linings in the knuckles. Those won't just help with climbing but also give you a little extra punch when you…well, punch." She moved the nearby ladder. "Now, come on!"

Beckett steeled herself as she followed, the high wire set above the middle ring, a thick mesh net below. "The first time is tough," Raia called out as she calmly walked onto the wire as if it wasn't difficult at all. "But once you're up here, you'll be amazed how fast the fear goes away."

"Really," Beckett drawled as she looked down at the net thirty feet below. Taking a deep breath, she carefully placed a foot out, wincing as the cable cut into her slippered foot. She tried to put the second one forward, feeling herself getting unbalanced and waving her arms to steady herself. She reached her leg over only to feel herself falling, unable to stop a cry as she dropped down into the waiting net.

Raia looked down at her and shrugged. "Okay, we wait a bit before we lose the net."

* * *

><p>"No, no, you snap it fast, not hold it back!" Max barked at Kate. She paused, wiping sweat from her brow as she settled back into the stance set for her training. "You need to let it flow, not fight it!"<p>

"I'm trying!" she snapped, the first time she'd done so.

Max was immediately in her face. "No, you're not and I know why. You're a fighter, Kate Beckett. You always have been, it's what made you so driven. But it's also what's holding you back now, you're used to being rigid, to holding to the rules." He tapped her head. "You need to let go of that thinking. You may be a cop at heart but the head has to adapt to this. Stop treating this as a case, it's not. You want to do this, you really want to commit to this, then you go all-in, no doubts and no more of the old rules."

Kate was breathing fast as she nodded. "It's harder than I thought."

"The most worthy things always are." He put both hands on his shoulders and spoke with heart. "If I didn't think you could pull this off, I'd never have started. And if you tell anyone here I said that, I'll deny it with my dying breath." He backed up. "So begin again. Only this time…let the cop relax and let the wild side out a bit more." He grinned. "Be a showman, Beckett. Show it all off."

Kate looked at him, then at the cape in her hands. She took a deep breath to steady herself as she drew the cloth back and let it fly out. It wrapped around the glass on the table and with a tug, Kate let it fly out and land perfectly in her hand. She and Max shared a smile of triumph as she prepared to do it again, this time with a little more gusto.

* * *

><p>Kate leapt past Rollo, rolling around the mat. The dwarf turned around, the crowd cheering as Kate grabbed him by the foot to slam him down on the mat, rolling on and wrapping her arms under his chin. She lifted it up, a knee at his back and after yelling in agony for several minutes, the dwarf finally slapped the mat. Kate rolled off, grinning in victory as the workers applauded her.<p>

* * *

><p>Beckett grunted as she hit the bag again, smacking it with a combo of punches and then a pair of kicks. She shook her arms out, feeling the ache of the weight-lifting she had done before as her knees felt the ache of the three mile run she'd made in the morning. Sucking it up, she went back to work on her exercises.<p>

* * *

><p>She snapped her fingers out, ignoring the pain in her shoulder, now just a dull ache after so many times slipping it out of the jacket. She easily slid the pin into the lock, twisted it twice and it gave way, letting her drop the chains and jacket and rise up in one smooth motion. She looked to Max, who stopped his watch and smiled. "Four minutes, eighteen seconds. Maybe not as good as Harry but..." His smile was all the push she needed to try again.<p>

* * *

><p>Ruvi blinked in the trailer, staring at Kate, who gave him a triumphant smile. "You wish," he chuckled.<p>

"Then how come you're wearing a bra?" Kate smiled.

Ruvi blinked as he undid his shirt and stared down at the lacy pink bra on his chest. "Fifty bucks, I won't tell the crew," Kate said.

Ruvi's glare turned into a chuckle as he pointed at Kate, who also laughed. His fist suddenly lashed out to punch her in the jaw, knocking her back. "Don't get cocky," he snapped.

Kate winced as she rubbed her jaw. "So much for you being a gentleman."

"In my home, we weren't exactly genteel with women."

"Where was that? Iran? Iraq?"

"Hoboken."

* * *

><p>Kate leapt overhead, tucking her leg in then extending it, foot rigid. It caught the wire perfectly as she bent her other leg back, the knee hitting the other side. She hung there, balanced out, making sure she was set before looking to Raia. The aerialist smiled and gave her a thumbs-up.<p>

With a jerk, Kate leapt down to the net below. As she did, she spread out her arms, the cape catching the wind and slowing her fall. She landed on the net and bounced upward, twisting in the air as the cape let her spin about. She landed in a roll, coming to her feet before a set of chairs. She whipped the cape out, the edge coming right up to a candle sitting on one chair, the whipping air snuffing the flame. In a smooth motion, Kate sent the other end sweeping out, wrapping around a knife placed on the other table and jerking it out. It flew through the air to bury itself in the bulls-eye of a target set nearby. Kate was already moving, the gloved hand reaching out to punch the head of a practice dummy, knocking it back. She stood rigid, wrapping the cape around herself as smoke billowed up from her feet. When it faded, the cape fell in a heap to the floor and Kate Beckett was nowhere to be seen.

Standing nearby, taking it all in, Max tapped the silver head of his cane to his chin and smiled broadly. "I think you're ready."

* * *

><p><strong>All comments welcomed if you want this to continue, thanks. <strong>


	4. First Night

**Castle and Cape**

**By Michael Weyer**

**First Night**

* * *

><p>If there was one thing you could count on with New York City, it was that crime was never hard to find.<p>

From the typical murders to more mundane robberies, the city was always showing its dark side. The cops did their best but some nights, it felt like a losing battle as there were drug deals and shootings and more anywhere in the city. Which made it perfect for someone trying to establish a reputation.

The car pulled up to the alleyway, the men inside getting out. They were dressed in business suits but clearly not Wall Streeters, They were heavyset Chinese men marching toward another car on the other side of the lot. A group of black men were there, dressed more loosely in leather jackets and purple bandanas. The head of the Chinese men carried a briefcase, carefully holding it up. "You have the merchandise?" he asked in a cool voice.

The leader of the other gang sniffed. "Cash first."

The Chinese man opened up the case to show several piles of crisp bills in bundles. Nodding, the black man opened the trunk of the car to show a large case. He lifted it up to open it, showing several bundles of white powder. "Here you go."

The Chinese man took the case as the black youth took the money. "Pleasure doing business."

The Chinese man simply nodded. Behind them, one of the black youths was near the edge of the lot by an alleyway when something seemed to flow behind him and yank him back. His grunt caught the attention of the two gangs and instantly, guns were in hands and aimed at each other. "You trying to cross us?" the black gang leader demanded.

The Chinese man was glaring back with his own gun. "This is not our doing. If you wish a battle-"

He was cut off as a long piece of cloth swept out to wrap around his wrist. With a yank, it tore the gun away, a bullet firing out of the chamber as it swept across the lot. Before the black youth could respond, another black arm yanked his own weapon away. All eyes spun to the end of the lot and stared.

Crouched upon the top of the limo the Chinese men had come from was a figure dressed in a padded black bodysuit of some sort with dark boots and gloves. A hood covered his head, partly hiding the black mask that completely concealed his features. Two opaque lenses peeked out with a filter at the nose and mouth. Whipping behind the figure was a long cape that flowed easily behind the form.

"Ice 'im!" the gang leader yelled out. However, in the time it took for them to aim and fire, the figure was already moving. It leapt off the car, rolling on the ground and whipping the cape out by its edges. It struck to yank away two more guns before being whipped out, the edges smashing into one man's nose with a cracking noise. As he howled and grabbed his nose, the caped figure lunged in to punch his companion in the face, knocking him down. The figure moved to grab the case with the drugs and fling it out, smashing it across two of the Chinese men. White powder burst in the air as the bags tore, blinding two of the other men. The black figure took advantage to smash two others with punches.

One of the younger gang tried to grab at the cape only for it to fling out, then smack him in the face. The figure spun to punch him back and then kick at another foe. He turned to see two more get guns and made a motion, a cloud of smoke bursting at his feet. The two drug runner opened fire, their bullets ripping through the cloud and they heard a cry of pain. Their grins vanished when the smoke cleared to show no sign of the masked man but one of the Chinese men down.

A sound had one gangster turning his head in time to catch a savage punch. The Chinese gang had concluded discretion was the better part of valor, grabbing the case of the money to run back to the limo. The caped figure reached to a pocket on his belt and threw out some metallic objects. They struck at the limo's tires, causing a blast as they erupted.

The wail of sirens cut through the air as a pair of patrol cars pulled toward the lot. Evidentially, someone nearby had heard the shots and, bucking the usual trend of New Yorkers, decided to get the authorities on the scene. The black youths scattered immediately but one was moving slow enough to be tripped as the cape wrapped around his foot to yank off his feet. The youth fell on his face as the rest started running off. However, two officers exited one of the cars, aiming their guns. "Everyone freeze!" one yelled.

The gangsters wisely held their hands up, those who could, that was. "That goes for you in the cape, pal!" the cop yelled. "Hands up!"

The figure stared for a moment before whipping the cape around itself, a cloud of smoke forming around him. When it faded, the figure had vanished, leaving a rather baffled pair of cops behind.

* * *

><p>Ryan sighed as he got out of the car and walked to the lot. He saw Esposito standing with the rest of the cops on the scene, taking notes from one of the officers. He also saw a body on the ground with a pool of blood around it. "What have we got?" he called out.<p>

"Looks our typical drug deal with a bit of a twist," his partner answered. He nodded to the dead man. "Triad guys trying to buy from the 57th Street Dragons." He pointed to the black teens currently being hustled into a waiting police van. "Things went sour fast, shots got fired."

"Double-cross?" Ryan asked as they walked the scene. "Someone wanted the cash and drugs together?"

"According to the cops who came on the scene, there was another player," his partner answered. He looked around and sighed. "No Castle?"

"He hasn't answered any calls in weeks," Ryan pointed out. "Why now?"

"Too bad," Esposito smirked. "He'd have loved this. According to these guys, they got attacked by somebody in a black costume, cape and mask."

Ryan blinked. "You're kidding me."

"Nope," Esposito answered. "The first cops on the scene saw him too, just before he vanished in a puff of smoke."

"Damn," Ryan muttered. "Somebody's been dipping the comic book shelves a bit too much."

"Detectives!" The two turned to see an officer coming up. "Thought you'd want to know, we got a report in. Attempted carjacking four blocks over, perps were taken down by someone in a wild costume."

"Huh," Esposito remarked. "Guess we've got some would-be crimefighter on our hands."

"Or nutcase vigilante." The two turned to see a figure striding forward. She was young, in his late twenties and strikingly beautiful with an almost exotic look to her features. Her brown hair was long, billowing past her shoulders with loose strands around her face. She was clad in a streetwise outfit, dark jeans with a leather jacket over a nice red shirt, the outfit doing little to hide curves that would put a supermodel to shame. However, her eyes carried an intelligence and experience that showed she was more than just a pretty face. She brushed at her hair to show an odd bracelet on her right wrist, a grey band with a trio of gems.

"Who the hell are you?" Esposito demanded.

The woman frowned. "Um…I'm guessing you two didn't get the memo on me joining your unit?"

The two glanced at each other in confusion. "Um, not to us."

"Damn," the woman sighed. "Look, I know this is difficult and all, I don't want to make too many waves. Just…at least give me a shot, ok?"

The two just glared at her for a moment. "Got a name?" Ryan asked.

"Pezzini," she answered. "Detective Sara Pezzini."

* * *

><p>As a mother, Martha Rodgers had learned to judge her son's moods a long time ago. She thus knew when he was annoyed and ready for some comforting, no matter his age. Thus, she was already preparing a bottle of sherry as he walked into the living room, barking into his cell phone. "Gina, I do books. Novels. Things that come in real bindings. Not comic books!"<p>

_"Rick, you're not getting it," _Gina Cowell, his ex-wife and current agent barked from her office in L.A. _"This is the best offer I can get you."_

"I recall that's what you said when we put the alimony agreement together." Castle shook his head as he passed by Alexis, who was doing homework at the kitchen table. "Gina, come on, I'm a number one bestselling author, I still have stories to tell…"

_"Rick, let me be blunt-"_

"When have you ever been anything but?"

She went on. _"You were in a rut before you hit upon Nikki Heat. It was a good run but the public won't be buying her anymore. It's not fair but that's what it is." _She sighed. _"I know you two were close and I am sorry. And for what it's worth, I don't buy the whole corruption charges either. But sadly, the public mostly believes it and they won't buy anymore Heat novels because of it."_

"So I just give up real books?" Castle demanded. "Go to comics?"

_"Brad Meltzer did it. It's a big market, Rick. Marvel's interested in a series of Derrick Storm graphic novels and might offer you something else. At least consider it?"_

He sighed. "Fine, considered." He hung up as he took the glass Martha offered to drink it down.

"I take it the consideration is over?" she dryly asked.

"I'm not a comic book writer, Mother," Castle told her.

"They're called graphic novels, dad," Alexis pointed out. "There are actually college courses on them."

"That makes me sad," Castle intoned. He sipped his drink. "I just don't know…Maybe I should just quit."

"And do what?" Martha scoffed. "Honestly, Richard, writing is what you are. You can't just give it up."

Castle rubbed his face. "I don't know, hon. Ever since what happened….I've just…felt less interested now." He leaned on the counter, looking down. "I write all the time about justice winning in the end…Yet all I see is a good woman brought down low. How can I keep hoping for the best after all that?"

"_Richard Castle?"_

Alexis shrieked and leapt from her seat at the deep voice. Castle whirled around to see the door leading to his loft's outdoor patio opened and a figure standing there. It was crouched on the edge of the railing, its black cape billowing behind him, showing the athletic form in a black suit, the voice coming from a muffled mask.

"Who…who are you?" Castle said, trying not to sound too upset.

"A friend," the figure rasped. "To you. And I was one of Kate Beckett's. I know she was innocent of the crimes she was accused of. I know the guilty. And I won't stop until they know justice."

"Well, that's…um…very…commendable." Castle couldn't believe this conversation was actually happening. "Why…are you here?"

"To let you know," the figure said. "And to give you a message." The mask moved to the side to see Alexis coming up behind her father, staring in wonder. "To all of you. There is still justice in this world. There are people willing to fight for it." The figure moved closer, the voice dropping but swelling with emotion. "Most of all…don't lose hope. Don't ever lose hope."

A cloud of smoke formed at the boots, covering the figure totally. The wind blew the cloud apart to show he had vanished, just the night air left before them.

"Dad?" Alexis whispered, hugging her father. "Who was that?"

"I don't know," Castle whispered back. "Someone dressed as a nutcase?"

"Or someone who wants to help," Martha stated. She smiled at her son. "Maybe there are heroes in the world after all."

He took that in, gazing at the phone as he started mulling over some possibilities.

* * *

><p>Beckett winced as she slowly opened her eyes. The sun was streaming in through the windows of her trailer, falling on the large bed she lay in. She sat up, wincing in pain as she swung her legs out of the bed. She was stripped down to just shorts and a sports bra, pulling a t-shirt over her head as she got up. She let out a small gasp at the aches in her thighs but pushed herself to walk to slide on a pair of jeans. She wiped at her eyes as she moved to the small bathroom nearby to look at herself.<p>

Kate rubbed at her face, happy that the blow she'd taken from that carjacker hadn't left too much of a bruise. Evidentially, the mask provided better padding than she had anticipated. She wiped her face off as she exited the bathroom and jumped at the sight of Max sitting behind the small table reading the newspaper. "Dammit, Max, don't do that!"

"Just checking in," Max said, throwing something at her. Kate instinctively caught it to see a bottle of aspirin. She opened it up as Max looked her over. "So, how's it feel to be a real, live super hero?"

"Painful," Kate admitted as she shook out a pair of pills. She paused and then shook three more, downing them all at once before sipping a glass of water on the desk. She looked at Max looking over the paper. "Don't tell me I made it in."

"Not yet," he told her. "But give it time. Someone becoming a real crimefighter won't go unnoticed for long."

"I just hope it works out," Kate said, sipping her water again. She winced as she rubbed her shoulder.

"It'll get easier as you go," Max told her. "Practice makes perfect. That's a lesson true for both circus life and our…other calling." He studied her for a moment. "I get the fighting. But seeing this Castle person?"

Kate narrowed her eyes. "Were you checking up on me?"

"Had to make sure you didn't get killed your first time out," Max brushed aside. "Don't worry, it won't be a regular thing."

Kate rubbed her neck. "I just…had to check on him. Ryan, Esposito, I know they can handle this. But Castle's not a cop, this would hit him hard. I just had to let him know…there's still something to be hopeful for."

"Commendable," Max noted. "Maybe not smart but I can always respect someone putting their personal needs in front of the intelligent thing to do." He smiled. "You care for him."

"He's a friend."

"Is that all?"

Kate glared at him. "Max, really not going into that now. Besides, you keep telling me my life is over anyway. I can't see him anymore."

"It won't stop you from trying, I can tell." That sly smile returned to Max's face. "Stubborn and single-minded, something else I can respect."

Kate shook her head. "This is not how I pictured my life a month ago. I had a good life going, my career, everything was on track. Now…" She let out a light laugh. "I always used to mock Castle for the contrivances he'd put into his books but this…"

"This what?" Max asked.

"Just…if I hadn't answered that e-mail from Orwell, I wouldn't have gone to the docks," she said. "I wouldn't have met Chess, wouldn't have been framed, wouldn't have run into you. I wouldn't be in this whole mess." She shrugged. "Truth really is stranger than fiction, I guess. Lots of wild accidents to lead me here."

She headed to the door. "I need to grab some breakfast, then a run to clear my head. I still want to check the docks again for that Scales guy." Kate shook her head again. "Still can't believe I'm really doing this."

"Think of all the paperwork you're missing out on." Max smiled as she left. The smile faded as he sat back, mulling over her words. He pressed his fingers together, his mind whirling back to several weeks earlier…

_He'd been at his desk when the door burst open and Rollo stuck his head in. "Hey, Max! We were checking out the sewers after that big firefight, trying to scrape anything together?"_

_"And?" Max asked from behind his desk._

_"We found some woman, looks beaten up a bit. She got some minor burns but nothing serious."_

_Max frowned. "Where is she?"_

_"Infirmary tent."_

_Max was quiet for a long moment. "Max?" Rollo pressed. "What do you want us to do?"_

_Max looked down, then back to Rollo. "Get her patched up, make sure she's all right. I'll be there soon."_

_Rollo nodded and left, shutting the door behind him. As soon as he had gone, Max yanked open his desk drawer and rummaged through it quickly. He found what he was looking for, a large parchment, pulling it out and laying it on the desk. He spread it open, the slightly tattered paper showing the wear of age as he smoothed it out. It was a bizarre mix of strange symbols and words in a language no one would recognize. It seemed to be laid out in a graph pattern with various "X" marks across each of the boxes. _

_Max moved his pen over from one box to the other, stopping at one that was marked by a square shape. He turned to look at the calendar at his wall, his mind making some quick calculations. He let out a long breath as he reached to the box beside his chair, opening the lid. Reaching inside, his hand stroked the fabric of the cape inside it as he realized a day he'd never truly believed in had finally come. _

Max sat behind his desk, staring out the window at Kate walking away. His expression was somber as he leaned back in the chair. "There are no accidents," he whispered as he studied the woman who'd just embraced a new life beyond her dreams.

* * *

><p><strong>Hopefully, this gets a bit more reader reaction and hope more reviews to keep it going if enough interest in it. <strong>


	5. Orwell

**Castle and Cape**

**By Michael Weyer**

** Orwell**

* * *

><p>Surveillance work was a hard thing for a detective. It was harder when you were just a crimefighter. It required patience, something Kate would be the first to admit she never possessed in abundance. Doing it while crouching in the complicated get-up she was wearing made it harder. But Kate did her best to handle it as she adjusted the pair of small binoculars in her hands to study the scene below her.<p>

It was a familiar sight in many ways: A group of thugs in various outfits moving boxes around, each toting guns under their coats. They were good at the job, not talking back at one another, obviously efficient and on a clock. That was no doubt due to the presence of the man with them, the leader of the gang. He was a tall and well-built man in a grey suit, his thick knuckles encased with gold rings. But what got the attention of those around him was his skin. Instead of regular flesh, it was greenish resembling nothing less than the appearance of a lizard. One look and it was no wonder why Dominic Raoul had earned the name of "Scales."

Beckett was careful as she adjusted her place on the upper reaches of the warehouse. Her first instinct was to leap in and try to take down some of these guys but she was smart enough to know she wasn't ready for that yet. Scales had a reputation as a major tough guy, a man more than willing to get his own hands dirty and liked it too. He wasn't the type Kate wanted to mix with, at least not quite yet in her crime-fighting tenure.

She shuffled in place, easing some of the aches in her knees and back. Comic book artists made these poses look so easy but there was nothing nice about spending nearly an hour on end in one position. She recognized the crates being moved as the same on the rail car she'd been investigating weeks before when this whole nightmare started. Which meant the mysterious e-mail was right, Scales and Chess were in business together. There were still pieces missing but that's why she was here, to get some intel before figuring her next move.

Kate had never realized how much she'd taken police work for granted before she no longer had their resources. It was hard trying to track down leads when she couldn't use any old snitches or a computer. She did, however, have access to the large criminal network the Carnival used to move their ill-gotten gains. As much as she hated to do it, Kate needed to use it in order to gain information on Scales' operations. She'd gotten used to compromise as part of her new life. She had to compromise her ethics, her judgment, even her life in order to hit back. She also had to compromise some ego as she'd quickly learned that wearing mascara before putting on a sweaty face mask wasn't a smart move. She'd been doing her best to take on street crime and had gotten notice for it, although one part was bothersome. Some reporter had referred to her as "the Cape" from the eyewitness reports and before she knew it, the name had stuck. It wasn't what Kate would have chosen but she figured it was better than other picks and good enough for what she wanted to do.

A flash of movement caught Kate's eye and she pulled her binoculars up to look at the catwalk on the other end of the warehouse. It was another figure dressed in black with a dark hoodie on, smaller than Kate with a bag thrown over one shoulder. The figure was aiming a camera down at the central warehouse, taking photos as Kate stared at her. As if sensing the other woman, the figure looked up, the camera aimed right at Kate. They stared at one another before the other black-garbed figure turned and started running off.

After a split second, Kate followed, leaping across the short chasm to a gangplank and rushing to the other figure. Her long strides quickly let her catch up as the shorter person was trying to keep the pack on their back straight. Reaching, Kate grabbed the figure, who she could now see was a woman under the tight outfit. She yanked on her shoulder but the woman spun to kick at her gut. Kate rolled with it to grab the hood and yank on it. It fell to show a mane of long brunette hair framing a pretty face of a young woman who appeared in her early twenties. As she stumbled to the floor, her bag fell open to spill out a dozen cards, each marked with a familiar eye-shaped logo.

Kate stared at the cards, then at the young woman. "You're Orwell?" she gasped out.

In reply, the woman lunged forward, jamming a taser to Kate's chest. She hissed as she felt the shock but the padding she wore managed to block its effects. She grabbed Orwell, yanking the woman around as she held her tightly, taking in her youthful appearance. "What are you, twelve?"

Orwell's voice was surprisingly steely for her age. "You're the one going around in long underwear and a cape."

"Point," Kate had to concede. Orwell slipped out of her grasp with surprising skill, facing Kate with an angry expression. Before either could move, they heard the loud voices from below as their struggle had attracted the attention of the thugs below. "Come on," Orwell snapped as she took off running and Kate was quick to follow her. The two raced down the ladder on the outside of the warehouse, hearing more voices behind them. Kate had come though the rear entrance to the area but Orwell led her past the main gate, slipping through a thin gap with ease. Kate had to squeeze a bit more but was able to follow as she saw a gleaming silver sports car parked nearby. Orwell was already opening the driver's door and slipping behind the wheel. Kate moved to the seat next to her as the young woman threw the car into gear and took off fast.

"Nice car," Kate noted.

Orwell just glared as they pulled out of the warehouse lot and roared down the streets of Manhattan.

* * *

><p>Richard Castle couldn't help but feel a twinge of pain as he walked back into the familiar precinct. He hadn't been there since that fateful day and he felt that ache for the brunette that was long gone. He took a moment to steel himself, forcing a smile as he walked into the main squad room. Esposito and Ryan were at the board, going over notes when they saw him. "Hey, Castle!" Javier grinned. "Good to see you, man!" He moved to actually hug Castle, something the author wasn't expecting.<p>

Ryan shook Castle's hand warmly. "We were getting worried, hadn't heard from you in so long."

"I needed time to myself to…deal." Castle didn't need to say more, both men nodding. Castle looked around, trying to appear nonchalant. "So, what are you guys up to?"

"Ah, haven't had much excitement lately," Esposito shrugged. "Just the run of the mill murders, gang fights, stuff like that."

"Same old, same old," Castle noted. "Any of them involve this Cape person?"

"Man, Castle, tell me you're not following that nut," Esposito groaned. "Some lunatic reads too many comic books and thinks they can be a crime-fighter?"

"Now, now, don't run down the lovely romance of the vigilante," Castle said, wagging his finger. "The lone hero standing against the darkness of crime, sacrificing their safety to protect those in need. It's a very long lineage, Zorro, Lone Ranger, Scarlet Pimpernel…"

"Lannie dragged me to that musical once, hated it," Esposito interrupted.

Rolling his eyes, Castle went on. "I'm just saying, they're trying to make a difference."

"Then he can just join a group like anyone else." Castle looked up to see a quite attractive brunette walking up in tight jeans, dark shirt and jean jacket. "The famous Richard Castle. Read a couple of your books, not bad, prefer Patterson."

"I'm a much better poker player," Castle easily answered.

"Castle, meet Detective Sara Pezzini, our new partner," Ryan introduced them as they shook hands, each instantly sizing the other up.

Sara sat at her desk, going through a file. "If you're here to get inspiration for another character, you're barking up the wrong tree. I've got enough drama in my life without being made into a book star."

"Sure?" Castle pressed. "A hot female P.I. could be…"

"I know people who can have you shot."

Castle just chuckled. "Relax, sort of giving the novels a break for a while."

"We heard," Ryan said soberly. "Sorry."

Castle waved it off although it was clear he was still thinking of it. "Ah, it's okay. Been getting offers for other things. It's why I was looking into this Cape guy, it's so fascinating to wonder what makes a person dress up like that and fight the good fight and-"

"Oh, God, you want to write about him," Javier groaned.

Castle held up his hands. "Hey, come on, comics are a growing field for major authors. And a real-life costumed hero? That's just too good to pass up."

Sara rolled her eyes upward. "We are not giving you carte blanche to just follow us around on any case involving this Cape."

Castle gave her a bemused look. "You really are new here, aren't you?"

"Look, Mr. Castle…"

"Just give up, Pezzini," Ryan smiled. "Trust me, he's working with us, one way or another. Just easier to go with it."

She glowered but sighed as she went through the folder before her. "Fine, fine but I'm not putting you in my speed dial." She held the folder out to Javier. "Here, ballistics got a match on the parking lot shooter, you two start running names." They nodded as they moved off. Sara turned her head to look at Castle, her expression softening. "Listen…I didn't know Kate Beckett but from what they tell me, she was a good cop and a better person."

Castle sobered. "She was. She truly was."

"I know I can't be her," Sara said. "And frankly, not crazy having someone trailing us around on cases." She shrugged. "But, if you promise not to be too obtrusive, we can share some information. But no ride-alongs."

"I have my own jacket."

"Answer is still no."

* * *

><p>The mood in the car was tense between the duo as Orwell drove the car toward down several side streets before entering a high-scale section of town. Kate had decided to just study her, marking the woman as in her early twenties but looked younger. While attractive, her face was serious, her eyes gleaming with an age that belied her appearance. She was also skilled, as seen by her ability to drive while also looking at the pair of laptop computers set on the dash. One was scrolling through a series of numbers with ease.<p>

"Are those credit card numbers?" Kate asked.

Without warning, Orwell spun the wheel, the car screeching as it turned into an underground parking lot. Orwell was still calm as she kept driving, Kate tensing in her seat. The woman finally pulled the car into a large freight elevator, skidding to a stop.

"Flip the button for your window," Orwell commanded.

Behind her mask, Kate frowned but did so. Instead of the window lowering, the freight doors shut behind them and the elevator began to rise. "Cool," Kate had to acknowledge but Orwell didn't give any sign of hearing her. The elevator stopped and the doors opened, Orwell immediately throwing the car into reverse. She spun it about as she finally pulled into a massive area that appeared to be an entire floor of the building above them. Putting the car in park, Orwell opened the door and exited, taking one of the laptops with her. She briskly walked as she typed on the keyboard before her, Kate following with curiosity.

Orwell led to an area past some construction sheets, the area as bare-bones as could be imagined. A small bed was on one side with what appeared a mini-kitchen but the majority of the room was empty. The exception was a large computer center at the middle of it all, dozens of screens and keyboards set about with wires spreading across the floor. A large window showed a fantastic view of the city that anyone would pay through the nose for.

"Someone's been naughty with those cards," Kate noted.

Orwell threw her leather jacket onto the bed as she marched to the computer center and sat down before the screens. She began to type as she spoke over her shoulder. "Who do you work for?"

"I don't work for anyone," Kate said as she took in the room.

Orwell sniffed. "Please. You're just another mindgame to squirm out of Peter Fleming's twisted brain." She typed as the main screen showed the image of a fingerprint on it, the image popping out of the 3-D imager.

"What are you doing?" Kate asked.

"Running your prints."

"You don't have my prints," Kate smirked, holding up her gloved hand.

"I do," Orwell intoned. "That button had a scanner on it, able to cut through cloth, read your print as easy as anyone's." Her eyes scanned the data flowing as the print was run through various databases both criminal and law enforcement. "I'll find you."

Kate's eyes widened as she moved forward. "Turn it off," she hissed.

It was too late as her face popped up on the screen along with her police file. Orwell blinked in confusion as she saw it. "Kate….Beckett?"

Kate grabbed her, yanking her out of the chair and pushing her mask to the younger woman's face. "Kate Beckett is dead," she snarled. "You put this on your blog, people I care about are going to get hurt and you won't need a freight elevator to hit the street."

Orwell shoved her back, her own surprise giving way to anger. "We're on the same side, Kate!"

"Oh, really?" Deciding the time for hiding was done, Kate undid the clasps and yanked her mask off. She took a moment to breathe in the fresh air before continuing her tirade. "How many cops did you rat out on? I lost count!"

"Dirty cops!"

"Says you!"

"Says the money trails, the evidence they covered up, the people they beat up and framed!" Orwell snapped. "I always made sure of their guilt first. Every cop I named deserved it!"

"I didn't," Kate hissed, pointing at her. "You ruined my life."

Orwell spread her hands. "I thought you should know who it was you were dealing with."

"Thanks," Kate sardonically said. "I found out on my own."

There was a moment of silence as Orwell's face turned from suspicion to amazed understanding. "This…this is for real?" she whispered. "You're fighting back?"

"I have a choice in the matter?" Kate shrugged.

For the first time, a light smile came to Orwell's face. "Why the get-up?"

Kate shrugged. "Going straight up didn't work for me. I figured it's time to get unconventional."

Orwell licked her lips. "I want to help."

Kate stared at her. "Seriously? You were just about to relate my real name and now you want to help?"

"Kate-"

"It's Cape in this."

"Fine, whatever," Orwell went on. "Look….you're a cop, you can get intel in ways I can't. But I can make you better. Accurate. I can help you hit Peter Fleming hard and fast from his blindside. Where he's weak. Together, we can scare him. And when he's scared, he'll overreact and overreach." She brought herself up straight. "Together, we can stop him. Together, we can take this city back."

Kate just stared at her for a long moment. "Do you by any chance know Rick Castle?"

Orwell sighed. "I'm serious, Kate. We can do this."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want Fleming taken down so badly?"

Orwell looked away. "I have my reasons."

"I need more than that."

Orwell snapped her head back to her, eyes narrowed. "You think you're the only life he's destroyed? I hate him more than you can imagine, Kate. Enough to do anything to see him taken down once and for all. We can help each other, Kate." Her face looked truly earnest. "We can do this. I know we can."

Kate was quiet, looking around as she slowly tried to take in the bold offer being made to her.

* * *

><p>The Carnival was quiet at night, the evening's performance done and Max was unwinding as he usually did. He was seated in his trailer, sipping wine as he went through the proceeds of the day. He would finish the books before moving to the plans for the gang's next robbery. He was about to pour another glass when a pounding sounded from the door. He frowned as it continued, rising to his feet. "Dammit, this is my private drinking time! This had damn well better be-"<p>

He opened the door to see a group of men in dark uniforms and masks, each carrying the embalm of ARK Security on their shoulders and each holding a gun. Max took them in calmly as he held up his glass. "Gentlemen? Care for a glass?"

Max's other hand reached over out of view to tug on a curtain rod set right below the door. It activated a series of wires running down the trailer to the tunnels lying underneath the Carnival, the true heart of their operations. Rollo and Ruvi had been playing poker when they heard it, their heads both shooting up. With the air of experience, they began moving to gain info on what the latest threat to the carnival was.

* * *

><p>"You're stealing people's credit cards to pay for this." Kate had been trying to come up with reasons why working with Orwell was a bad idea.<p>

"Only from criminals or those who can afford it," Orwell fired back as she'd done to every argument Kate had.

Kate frowned. "If you know Fleming is Chess, why haven't you told anyone?"

"He's too good covering his tracks," Orwell sighed, sitting back in her chair. "Every time I think I'm close, he hides the evidence, kills or pays people off, has an airtight alibi. He's too careful. That's why we need to rattle him up, get him to make a mistake."

Kate was about to reply when a beeping rang out from her tunic. She reached in, fumbling for the small cell phone inside and opening it. "Not a good time, Max."

_"Kate? It's Rollo," _came the excited voice on the other end of the line. _"Some ARK guys just came and grabbed Max!" _

"Do you know where they took him?" Kate blurted. Orwell was turning to the screen, tapping on the keys.

_"No but we got a glimpse of the car." _

"Hold on." Kate held up the phone. "Okay, give me the license number."

Rollo rattled it off and Orwell typed it into the computer, a dozen databases whirling away at once. With a practiced ease, Orwell brought up a satellite view of New York that zoomed down at a specific location. "The GPS is at the docks, the ARK warehouse branch."

"You get that?" Kate said into the phone.

"_Yep," _Rollo said. _"We'll be right there."_

Kate hung up and looked to Orwell. "Okay, you want to help? Get me some layouts of that place."

"Here," Orwell handed her a small earpiece. "That will keep us in contact." Kate slid it into her ear as she lifted her mask and fixed it up. She took a deep breath before moving to the elevator exit, prepared for her latest mission. She felt the same tension and worry about going out there in her costume. But the fact she wasn't going in alone this time somehow made her feel much better as she took to the streets.


	6. The Coming Darkness

**Castle and Cape**

**By Michael Weyer**

** The Coming Darkness**

* * *

><p>Max Malini had been in rough spots before. It came with the territory, after all, both as a circus performer and as a thief. This was hardly the first time he'd been bound to a chair or surrounded by a batch of armed and extremely dangerous men. However, he was not as young as he had once been and thus this wasn't as viable a situation as it might have been.<p>

He shuffled in his chair, letting the tight ropes adjust around him. He licked his upper lip, tasting the blood from the blow he'd taken earlier. A few other aches shook his body, nothing he hadn't taken before far worse, of course. However, the various armed men standing around him were enough to subdue any attempt he might make at escaping. It wasn't helped by the presence of Scales, the man's suit ill-fitting on his huge frame, his eyes narrowed at Max.

Peter Fleming was nearby, his thick black mask on with red jacket, in full Chess mode. "I hope you're not too uncomfortable, Mr. Malini. I have questions for you. It would be a shame to have you die yet."

"Die?" Max grinned as he spat out a glob of blood. His face showed bruises from punches with his left eye starting to swell closed but he was still feisty as ever. "I'm just getting warmed up, sweetheart."

Chess frowned as he moved in. "Where's my money?"

"Depends," Max smirked. "Cash, stocks, bonds or other?" He gasped as Scales punched him in the jaw, drawing more blood. Chess's jaw was set, clearly doing his best to keep his cool, something Max knew he could use. "I am not joking here, Ms. Malini. You stole from me and I want it back."

"Well, sadly, much of it is gone," Max shrugged. "Sorry, but economy is rough, circus fees are expensive. I have to meet payroll, meals and the insurance, man…" He was prepared for another punch, rolling with it to smirk. "Sorry but much of it is gone. Plus, even if I gave you mine, can't speak for the rest of the crew. Rollo has an affinity for classic comic books."

Chess sighed. "I had really hoped to deal with this sensibly, Mr. Malini. Sadly, I am afraid I'll just have to write off the loss."

"Ever the businessman," Max intoned. "What is your ultimate goal here, Peter?" He saw Chess' eyes narrow at his real name. "I mean, really? Smuggling in new weapons helps you how?"

"My goal, Mr. Malini, is to give New York the police force it deserves," the man stated. "Sadly, the city politicians are dragging their feet on my idea of privatizing their forces, to allow ARK the lead. And so, I must take extreme measures to sway them."

Max snorted. "What are you going to do? Fake some criminal terrorist thing to scare the city into taking you?"

"Sadly, Mr. Malini, I don't see a way to fake blowing up half the seaside area of New York City. So I'm just going to have to do it." He turned to Scales. "Take care of him. The body should be incinerated in the ship blast but be sure."

As Scales moved in, Max took in his beefy build. "Damn, son. I could make you a star. Whatever he's paying you, I'll double it."

"Sorry, got a better offer," Scales smirked.

Max sighed. "Doesn't anyone believe in showmanship anymore?" He worked his arm, ready to drop a smoke pellet from his sleeve when a calm voice spoke up.

"Actually, I'm a pretty big fan of it."

All eyes and several weapons turned to the far end of the cargo hold as a man stepped into the light. He was tall and quite handsome with long black hair brushing to his shoulders, a pair of sunglasses over his eyes despite the late hour. He was clad in a stylish suit with expensive loafers and tie under a long overcoat, sliding the glasses off as he stepped inside. "So…Chess, I take it."

"And you are?" the masked man was calm as his men aimed guns at the intruder.

"Jackie Estacado," the man introduced himself. "And I think it's way past time you and I had a talk."

Chess slowly nodded. "Ah, yes. The young buck who managed to take over the Franchetti family business. You have been on my radar for some time."

"And you've been on mine." If Estacado looked worried about the men holding guns on him, he didn't show it. "See, you've been encroaching on my territory and I'm not a fan of that." He walked forward, brushing at his hair. "I don't like the idea of your army of thugs becoming the cops and I don't like you planning to blow up half the docks. That sort of thing is bad for business."

"My business is to make this city better."

The Italian youth snorted. "Please. Crime has been part of this town since New York was founded. You need guys like me to run things, grease the wheels and all that. Do away with crime and you won't know how this city is run."

"It will be run how I decide," Chess snapped. "Not by someone foolish enough to think he can come here alone and leave alive."

Jackie's lips turned upward. "Alone? Not really. I've gotten my…associates here already. Which is why you don't have guards coming. And why right about now…" He cracked his neck to the side. "You're going to find out what real power in this city is."

Right on cue, the lights above the cargo bay went out. It wasn't total blackness, there was enough of light from the hallway above to keep that from happening. In a way, it made what happened next worse as it allowed Chess, Scales and the rest to see what was happening with Estacaado.

The shadows seemed to embrace the man, covering his suit completely. They shifted about, forming into a complex suit of metallic-looking armor with ridges up and down the torso and legs. His hands were encased in long sleeves with sharp claws. A faceplate covered the lower half of Estacado's face, leaving his long hair whipping along with tendrils of black energy. Near his feet, a trio of small creatures appeared, deadly gnomes with gnashing teeth and expressions of lustful terror on their faces.

"Oh my God," one of the men behind Scales gasped. "Holy shit, all those crazy stories are true! He…he ain't human!"

"Kill him!" Scales yelled. Estacado threw out a hand and a pair of black shadow tendrils ripped outward, piercing right through two of the gunmen. They screamed as they were thrust back against the wall. Escatando was moving, flowing with the shadows as bullets seemed to bounce off his armor. A pair of the strange creatures leapt out to tackle one of the gunmen, the man screaming as he was torn apart by them.

While he had no idea how this was happening, Max was quick to take advantage of the situation. He twisted in the ropes, a cloud of smoke billowing to let him escape. No one was paying much attention to him, however, all more worried about keeping alive against the onslaught of the dark-garbed warrior before them. He raced to the nearest ladder to scale the catwalk and moved to a doorway. A sharp pain hit him in the back and he gasped as he realized a random bullet had struck him. He pushed the pain aside as he made his way to the ship to escape the slaughter beneath him.

* * *

><p>A few minutes earlier, Kate was making her way to the large cargo ship, lightly sticking to the shadows, worried about sentries. She was surprised to find almost no one about, she figured the place would be heavily guarded. A crackling came to her ear as Orwell's voice in the comlink. <em>"I've uplinked with a heat-imaging satellite."<em>

"Whose?"

_"Fleming's."_

"The man has his own satellite?"

_"I told you he was bigger than you thought. Anyway, getting readings but something's…wrong. I've got movement but little heat from them. It…" _The voice paused. _"A heat signature just went down, something is going down and it's bad."_

Kate's foot hit something and she looked down to see the body of a suited man lying on the ground. Blood covered his throat, which appeared to have been torn out, his eyes wide in terror. "Yeah, I think I got that." Her head jerked up at the sound of gunfire as she moved to the ship itself. She began running, doing her best to keep the cape tight around her. She saw the bodies of two more men by the main gangplank, each as ravaged as the first. Kate didn't bother wondering what had caused this, she was too worried about Max.

Her eyes blinked as she adjusted to the darkness inside the ship. She could hear the gunshots and sounds of screams and decided to follow them, navigating through the tight halls. She heard footsteps and moved into the shadow of a nearby bulkhead as a man ran past, terror on his face. Kate let him go past then threw out the cape to wrap around his leg. The man screamed as if he'd been hit with acid, turning to fire bullets wildly. Kate barely dodged them as she yanked him in to punch him.

She rose up and moved into the main ship. Kate dodged back into the shadows as she saw a shape coming by. She tensed only to see it was Max, the man grunting and clearly bleeding. He fell on a railing just as two gunmen came upon him. "Abracadabra, pops," one of them grunted.

Max saw the shadow flickering behind them and smiled. "Presto," he whispered.

The Cape moved fast to grab one of the gunmen as she leapt out to punch the other. She dodged an attempted blow to smash both fists across his jaw, knocking him down. She kicked the other gunman in the face to knock him out, pausing to make sure they were both down before going to Max.

"Hey," he said, coughing hard as he lay on the ground. "That was…hell of a show."

"Don't move, I'll get you some help," Kate said. She winced at the blood coming from his wounds and how weak the circus veteran looked.

"Fleming…He's going to blow the ship…Set off a massive blast…"

"Don't try to talk."

"I'm the one dying, I'd like to talk," Max spat out. "What you're doing…is good, Kate. It's great in fact. It's not just an act, it's…something pure." He winced. "Remember who you're doing it for….Not just you but friends….Castle…"

"He's a friend," Kate said, trying to cover the wound with a hand.

Max chuckled, blood at his lips. "Take it from a man who loved and lost once before…and never recovered…You see what you want…What you know you need…Don't let it go, Kate…Never…let it go." He narrowed his eyes. "Don't make me a jerk. Get him back."

"I will," Kate blurted, blinking back tears behind her mask.

Max moaned out, closing his eyes. "Want to say something…profound." His head lolled back as he sighed. "God…I need a drink." His body slumped as he let out a long breath, his head falling to the side.

"Max," Kate whispered, her heart breaking at the thought of another man she'd grown to admire and respect leaving her. "Max…"

Suddenly, his left eye snapped open, looking about. "Dammit, I thought that was it!" His voice was much stronger as he complained. "Wasted a great speech."

Kate let out a laugh of relief as she helped Max back to his feet. Footsteps came and she was alert but relaxed as she saw Rollo come up with a wrench in hand. "He okay?" he asked as he came up to Max.

"Been better but had worse," Max snapped as he let them lift him to his feet. He looked to Kate with concern. "Chess is gonna set off a bomb, blow this ship and half the docks to hell."

"Not if I can help it." Kate turned on her heel, a hand to her ear. "Oracle, you hear that?"

_"I did. I'm scanning for frequencies now. If I find the right one, I can jam any attempt to blow it."_

"On it," Kate said as she started moving off. "Rollo, get Max off the boat, car's around the corner." She raced off as Rollo glanced to Max. "You saw that…"

"Not now," he snapped, leaning on the smaller man as they made their way out. "Hopefully, she can handle it." He sighed. "She has to."

* * *

><p>Chess winced as he made his way to the open air of the ship's bow. He was a man used to things being rational and calm, set and orderly. So to see a man transform into a shadowy monster was beyond any of his reasoning but he was doing his best to handle it. He moved to the front of the ship, knowing that setting the bomb off would more than take care of whatever Estacado was now. He was moving toward it when a shadow flew over him. He was ready for an attack by Estacado but instead saw a caped figure land before him. "You," he breathed, realizing who it was.<p>

The Cap moved quickly, launching a punch to rock Chess backward. He gasped as he fell back but then snarled, a knife extending from his sleeve to slash at the Cape. The figure rolled with it to kick at him but Chess blocked it off. "You're too late!" he hissed as he reached to a small remote in his pocket.

The Cape grabbed it, the two struggling. Neither saw the dark figure emerge from the boathouse to stare at them. He cocked his head before smiling, the strange armor fading to show Jackie Estacado in his suit again. He stepped back into the ship, figuring he'd made enough of an impact for one night.

Chess backhanded the Cape across his mask to knock him back before pulling out the remote. He pressed the button with a wicked smile…which faded as nothing happened. "Good one, Oracle," the Cape whispered before going on the attack. She rammed Chess against the edge of the boat railing as he grunted. "I'll find you!" he snarled. "I'll kill you and anyone you ever cared about!"

"You can't," the Cape hissed back. "I'm already dead."

The roar of a helicopter came over them and they both looked up to see a trio of them moving overhead, their spotlights hitting the ship. Chess took advantage to punch the Cape in the face. Ignoring the pain in his fist, he leaped onto the railing and then over the edge. The Cape raced over, letting the tendril of her cloth out but it missed Chess' foot. She cursed as she watched Chess vanish under the waves.

_"Cape, you better get out of there," _Orwell's voice echoed in her ear. _"The police are on their way and not likely to listen to your side of things."_

"Chess got away."

_"But you stopped his plans. Take your victories as you can, Kate."_

"I guess," she sighed. "What about you, Orwell? What's your story?"

_"Nothing important. Not now at least."_

The Cape shrugged as she leapt away into the night, leaving the chaos behind her.

* * *

><p>Sara Pezzini took a long sip of her cup of coffee as she came up to the ship. She was clad in jeans and a dark shirt as she mounted the gangplank, annoyed at the late hour but handling well the chaos of police and firemen all about. She passed by an officer who was on his knees, retching in the hallway. She frowned as she made her way to the main cargo hold and stopped in place. "Holy…"<p>

It looked like the interior of an abattoir, blood sprayed all over the place along with pieces of bodies spread about. One had was staring outward with eyes wide and face in terror while another body looked to have been smashed through a wall. Officers were about taking photos as the medical examiners seemed at a loss against such a sight.

"Damn," Esposito whispered as he came up behind her, eyes wide. "The hell happened here?"

"Word is they got a tip of Chess here," Ryan said, coming up with plastic over his suit. "Some sort of deal going down."

"Turned nasty by the looks of it," Sara noted, sipping her coffee.

"They found some sort of bomb set up too," Ryan said. "And the first guys on the scene said they saw Chess and that Cape guy fighting it out on deck."

Esposito frowned. "They think he did this?"

"Not sure," Ryan shrugged. "Found a guy unconscious in a side room. They had to sedate him, he kept raving about the darkness coming to life."

Sara whipped her head at him. "What?'

Ryan nodded. "Yeah, guess the Cape freaked him out more than he thought." He and Esposito both made their way down the stairs to the main cargo bay. Sara looked at them going and closed her eyes. "Dammit, Jackie…what the hell are you up to now?"

At her wrist, the gems of her bracelet seemed to flash.

* * *

><p>Kate knocked on the door of the trailer, entering it to see Max sitting behind his desk with a bottle. "I see you're feeling better."<p>

He chuckled. "I've taken more hits than that in my time, believe me." He leaned back in his chair, drinking. "So I understand you had an eventful night."

Kate nodded. "I stopped Chess this time." She sighed. "He got away though."

"But he knows you're out there," Max said. "That makes it dangerous."

"Speaking of which, are you worried he'll come after you again?"

"Oh, I suspect he has bigger issues to worry about at the moment," Max smiled softly. "I know you didn't do this alone. I won't pry but whoever it was who helped…thank him for me."

"I will." Kate rose. "I'll let you rest up, I need some sleep myself." She was nearly at the door when Max spoke up. "Kate." She turned to see his face dead serious. "Thank you. I don't…I'm not used to owing people but…I owe you now. And I'll pay that debt, no matter how long it takes."

Kate smiled and nodded before leaving. Max was silent before Ruvi stepped from behind a curtain. The man's face was somber as he looked to Max. "You didn't tell her about the Darkness."

"She doesn't need to know yet."

"Doesn't she?" Ruvi stated. "You gave her the Cape, Max. The Darkness is out there. How long until the rest of the Thirteen show up?"

"I didn't make the choice in this."

"Didn't you?" Ruvi pressed. "You gave it to her."

"It would have done so anyway, you know that," Max snapped. "These things decide on their own and we're just the players they take along the way." He crossed his fingers as he looked to the door Kate had left. "She has to learn on her own, Ruvi. They always do."

The other man shook his head. "She's not ready, Max."

"They never are," Max muttered under his breath. "That's why they're chosen." He sipped his drink down as Ruvi realized once more that his boss was playing a dangerous game.


End file.
